Internal combustion engine



Aug. ll, 1936. J. A. H. BARKEIJ INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original `Filed July lO, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug 11, 1936- J. A. H. BARKEIJ 2,050,688

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed July l0, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. lll, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Jean A. n. Barkeij, Los Angeles, Calif., assignr to George C. Arvedson, New York, N. Y.

1s claims. (el. 12s-191) This application is a division of my application' `l5 'I'he general objects of this invention are to eliminate certain disadvantages of that type of L-head engine which has a turbulence or high compression head.

One disadvantage of this type of engine is that 20 it has a poor volumetric eiiiciency due to the effect of the throat at the place where the valves are located, to the throat which in engines of this type l is formed between the explosion space in the head and the expansion space in the cylinder, and to 25 the three curves in the passage traversed by the gases in passing from the inlet manifold to the cylinder space and in reverse direction from the cylinder space to the exhaust manifold.

This type of engine is liable, moreover, to pis- 30 ton slap, due to the sudden explosion pressure,

which exerts itself initially on one side only ol.' the piston when the latter is directly beneath said throat. That this is the cause of the piston slap has already been pointed out in my patent,

35 No. 1,666,160, page 4,-'lines 'Z8-105.

v A further disadvantage of the turbulence type o r Ricardo type of engine is that it is as much subject toy detonation as the standard L-head valve motor, the standard F-head motor, and the 40 standard valve-in-head motor. I'his disadvantage is materially decreased by means of the construction hereinafter described. My theory in this regard is that, if the gaseous mixture in one or the other explosion chamber (or compression 45 chamber) is ignited, the pressure and the explo- Ision wave thus suddenly generated in one of theseA spaces cannot be propagated quickly enough inthe other because of the intermediate contraction or throat between the' two. It cannot, of 50 course, be asserted positively that this theory 'is correct, since the nature of detonation is still a celerated flame propagation, and the throat will always have a tendency to impede this superacceleration or materially decrease it. I n combination herewith I discovered another phenomenon which has also a, decided inuence on the detona- 5 tion tendencies of a mixture. I found that it isy much better to place the spark plug not centrally,

as is usually done in engines with a turbulence head, but to place the spark plug substantially above, vertically or horizontally, said exhaust valve. The plug was always placed in the neigh. borhood of the inlet valve to insure fresh gas in f the neighborhood of the spark points, but in so doing it was entirely overlooked that some other points, more important, may determine the best position of this plug. It seems to be possible to give a good and sound explanation of this second phenomenon, which explanation contradicts in no respect the explanation of the first phenomenon. When the spark plug ignites the gas in the neighborhood ofthe spark plug, a region of pressure is produced and this region drives in front of it the unexploded gases, which will be compressed away from the spark plug. If the spark plug (or plugs) are located near the inlet valve, which is much cooler than the exhaust valve,- the unburnt gases `are compressed towards the exhaust valve, which is much hotter. The gases, having there during a small fraction of a second a high pressure, are liable to detonate on account of their high temperature,l produced not only by the increased pressure of the initiated explosion from the spark plug, but also produced by the radiation of heat from said exhaust valve. Before the gases have time to burn comparatively slowly on account of 35 continued normal combustion, they detonate on account of their abnormal temperature. On the other hand, if the gas is ignited in the neighborhood of the exhaust valve, after being compressed to a degree such that they do not detonate on ac- 40 count of the radiating heat of said exhaust valve4 the gases are compressed towards the cooler regions of the combustion chamber and the gases have to detonate on account of the increase of temperature solely due to the increase of pressure, A

minus the temperature lost to the walls of these cooler corners of the combustion chamber. Undoubtedly some truth must be also hidden in this theory, as it has been found that the compression could be raised appreciably, almost one atmosphere, if the spark plug was placed near the exhaust valve instead of the inlet valve. On ac--r count of the fact that the latter position of the plug may cause some misiring, it may be advisable in some engines to install another spark plug in the same chamber or in the other chamber according to the construction of the form of the compression chamber and the position of the inlet and exhaust valves.

My rst object is to obtain the full benet of the volumetric efficiency of the valves by placing them beyond the throat in direct communication with the space swept by the piston.

My second object is to expose practically the entire piston surface to the explosion pressure, by forming two explosion chambers of which. one is at least located for the greatest part above said piston surface, as shown in Fig. 1.

My third object is to decrease the tendency to detonation by breaking the explosive wave by forming a separate chamber where the ignition of the gases is initiated, and to separate this space from the space above the piston more or less by a throat or restricted passage.

My fourth object is to place the ignition means, especially the spark plug, as near the exhaust valve as the particular construction allows.

My fifth object is to remove the valves entirely from the explosion chamber or chambers as respectively shown in Figs. 2-3 and Figs. 4-5.

My sixth object is to increase the ratio between the volume of the combustion chamber and its wall surface, and thus to decrease as much as possible the temperature produced by the compression of the gases. Stated differently. it is my object to increase the area of the wall surface of the combustion chamber space in proportion to its volume, thereby increasing the radiation of heat from the compressed gases. While loss of heat during the extreme short period of explosionA is increased, this loss is not only partially compensated for by the increased compression-possibility,'but also by a decrease of detonation resulting from other featuresV which may be combined with such an increased ratio. It is here again repeated that a small ratio between these two quantities is no longer a main consideration in the construction of a favorable combustion space for anexplosive engine. 'Ihis theory has been maintained in the literature many times, but it has been proved now that other considerations, as explained, are of far greater importance, and

undoubtedly some new viewpoints will be discov' ered within a short time.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on line l-I of Figure 1a and Figure 1a is a horizontal section on line l'a-la of Figure 1, with parts broken away, showing parts of a cylinder and cylinder head constructed in accordance withmy invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 3, and Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 4 of Figure 2, with parts broken away, showing another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 isa vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure 5, and Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 5 5 of Figure 4, with parts broken away, showing parts of a cylinder and cylinder head with two explosion chambers at opposite sides of the valves.

Referring to the drawings particularly Figures 1 and 1a, i is the piston, 6 the connecting rod connecting said piston with the crankshaft being supposed to be located under said piston, 8 the wristpin in the piston, 26 is the cylinder head, 21 theand 28h is an additional small explosion chamber offset beside the valves in Fig. 1.

In FiguresZ and 3, 28a indicates one combustion chamber positioned above the cylinder and with which the inlet and exhaust passages, the latter indicated by 291, controlled by inlet and exhaust valves 30 and 29 respectively, communicate directly. In this modication an additional combustion chamber 28e offset from the cylinder is provided containing the ignition'means 3l and, if desired an additional fuel supply or injection means as 3Ib. The chamber 28c communicates with the space swept by the piston through a restricted throat 32a, the piston in this form approaching closely in its upper dead center position to the cylinder head, as indicated at 33.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, two combustion chambers 28d and 28e are provided in the cylinder head 2Gb, both chambers being offset laterally from the cylinder and communicating therewith through the restricted throats 32h and 32e respectively.

Fig. 1 shows the inlet and exhaust valves in inverted position in the cylinder head (the inlet valve behind the exhaust valve), the valves hav- 25 ing a direct, open communication with the cylinder space and a spark plug 3i being placed in this space as in standard construction, from which satisfactory results have been obtained. In such a valve-in-head-motor practically no turbulence is present, as the little turbulence obtained from the more or less swirling action of the entering gases is greatly decreased by the compressing action of the next up-stroke of the piston after the inlet valve is closed.

Far better results may be obtained by creating a turbulence in the gases at the moment of highest compression and ignition. 'Ihis turbulence, however, cannot be obtained so easily in a valvein-head engine as in an L-head or F-head engine. If the piston in a valve-in-head engine should bemade to approach the under surface of the head, there would be `no compression space left. unless the chamber is entirely offset from the cylinder bore one way, and the valves the other way, as shown in Figs. 2-3. In the form of Fig. 1, however, the ordinary compression space between the valves in the head and the piston in top position is substantially maintained, but a comparatively small additional explosion chamber 28h is offset from said main chamber 28 above the piston, and is also provided with ignitionmeans. I

found experimentally that the additional chamber 28h produced an extremely favorable combustion, as fast and complete as in engines with a Ricardo or turbulence head. On the other hand, the combustion chamber of -my present invention produced much more power than the standard valve-in-head motor, possessing merely and substantially a combustion chamber of cylindrical form. The small additional chamber 28h produces at the outset of the explosion a thermodynamical turbulence in space 28, which is otherwise produced in engines with a turbulence or Ricardo head by the mechanical cooperation of the squeezing eiect between piston and cylinder head. Here the turbulence is automatically produced by the rst wave of the explosion darting into the main compression space 28 from the small additional space- 28h. It has been found further that it is not essential that the combustion chamber 28h should connect with the combustion chamber 28 by means of a throat 32 as shown, but it may be incorporated in certain 75 engines depending upon the mean operative speed and mixture strength conditions employed. It is further not essential to use two spark plugs, one in each chamber, but in case only one plug is used, the plug in the additional explosion` chamber 28h should be used. In case the engine is operated. continually with a lean mixture it has Y been found advantageous to use both plugs, firing 'of misflring in said chamber.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the main compression chamber 28 is shown in the cylinder .bore and the additional chamber 28h plus the preferred throat in the head, but it is, of course, understood that both chambers may be placedin the head, as shown in the other two modifica-l tions shown in Figs. 2-3 and 4-5, the separating line between the cylinder and the head being immediately below the plug 3i, as shown inv Fig. l.,

It is further understood that the height and volume of the two chambers may vary in volume appreciably, but in this particular arrangement fof Fig. 1 it is understood that the volume of chamber 28 should be always considerably greater than that of the explosion chamber 28h, so that the volume of the chamber 28 is approximately two or three times that of the chamber 28h. It would be possible to make them about of the same volume in the present arrangement and applicant does not wish to be bound to the particular, approximate ratio shown in the drawings. In the present arrangement, one chamber contains the ignition means, the other the valvular means, said chambers being divided by a restricted passage.

It is further preferred to place the plug in a substantially horizontal position in said explosion chamber 28h, in order to break still further the sudden force of the explosion on the piston. The plug Bia: may be placed vertically in said chamber,A but this posiiton gives less favorable results 'so far as smooth operation is concerned. e

The form of the chamber `2817 may be varied Aconsiderably and may extend more or less along `the circumference of the circle, normally less than 180. The volume thereof should be, in general, considerably less than that of the main chamber, as the thermodynamlcal turbulence 4creating action manifests itself even with a `hated burned gases inthe neighborhood of said plug, a second plug 3| may be placed in the main chamber, but preferably also on the side of the exhaust valve. The formation of a kind of throat 32, as shown, may also decrease the possibility This throat is effective in causing a turbulence of` small proportions in said chamber'28b during the compression peri'od, but this disturbance is quite sufllcient to produce the desired effects. It is `remarkable how the conduct of an explosive engine is affected by comparatively small changes in the-form of the combustion chamber and it is repeated here that the proposed con- 'struction might be executed in many different ways withoutdeviatlngwfrom the mainvprirrsmall vwalls. of the chamber and from there to ciples thereof as explained. After some experiinenting has been done for a certain engine, it is quite possible to fln'd some form in which misiiring is so little that the plug 3| can be dispensed with, unless a very quick and complete combustion is required. The mixture strength further controls misfiring to a great extent and a certain carburetor setting in itself might be easily sufficient to prevent any trace of misnring. I

v The position of the chamber 28h with reference to the cylinder bore 'is also subject to Nariation, and while I have shown it as slightly offset, that is, located in part to one side of the cylinder, such showing is to be understood as'15 being for illustrative `purposes and not as restricting the invention to such position.

In the second' modification of Fig. 2 the inlet and exhaust valves also communicate directly with thecylinder space. The. main chamber, here 28e, contains the ignition means and the additional chamber 28a contains thel valves. These chambers are therefore structurally the reverse of the arrangement of Fig.

1, but functionally somewhat the same. In this modification the advantage of the valves opening directly into the cylinder space is maintained, and an additional advantage is obtained in that throat 32 between the chamber 28o and the cylinder space can be reduced to any extent, a circumstance which cannot be .effected in l the standard turbulenceor Ricardo-head form), as

. explained, as the volumetric efficiency of the valves here is in no way dependent upon the volumetric eillciency of throat. A functional difference exists between the modifications shown in Figs. l and 2 since, in the latter arrangement the turbulence in the gases at the end of the compression period is caused mechanically by the' throat 32, while in the former arrangement the turbulence is caused by the explosion -in the additional chamber 2lb. In this arrangement of Fig. 2 the piston may come up very closely to the undersurface 33 of the head, as shown, or may remain at a greater distance therefrom.

As shown in the drawings this arrangement is adaptable to Diesel engines with onlythe structural difference that the chamber 28o would be much smaller in proportion to the bore and stroke of the engine. The spark plug 3| and pi'lverizer 3Ib may be placed in the same chamber, the first for starting purposes, and the second for normal operation, as is already well known in the art.

Inthe third modification of Figs. 47-5 the same principles of the rst two modifications are applied, and in addition thereto the single explosion chamber 28e of Figs. 2-3 is here split into two separate explosion chambers, each having G0 ignition means.

It is well known that in small-bore cylinders the compression can ybe carried much higher ,thanin large-bore cylinders. Apart from other factors, this phenomenon has undoubtedly to do with my sixth object, the ratio betweenl the volume of gas and the total wall surface of the compression chamber. Where said space is practically split in two, as shown in Figs. 4 5, it is evident that this ratio increases very fa' vorably and that the gases will lose a certain` amount of their compression-temperature to the the cooling fluid. Y

In the modification of Figs. 1f-5, the two bers 28d, 28e are separated from each other by a small passage between these spaces when the piston is inV top position. Here again the two spaces 28d and 2te are separated from the cylinder space by throats 32h, 32o, the cross-sections of which are entirely independent of the volumetric eillciency of the valves, which communicate in all three modications directly with the space swept by the piston, without an intermediate restricted passage such as is provided in the standard motor with a turbulence or Ricardo head. The ignition means are here also placed in the chambers, which are not provided with valves. i

It will be understood that the relative volumes of the spaces 28d, 28e may be variedY as also the total volume. The latter may depend upon the clearance in the cylinder, i. e., as to how closely the piston approaches the cylinder head at the upper limit of travel. Should the plstontravelVV be as shown in Figure-1, for example, the vol` ume-ofthe spaces 28d, 28e would obviously be must reduced.

The three forms shown have, in certain respects, a resemblance to each other and yet they differ from each other in fundamental respects. The last two modifications have an advantage over the rst modication in that the exhaust valve may be practically eliminated from the explosion space.

It is understood that the engine is operated with a mixture of gaseous fuel and air, in weight ratios of about 12 to l, as is well known in the art.

I claim:

l. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a head closing the open end of said cylinder, inlet and exhaust valves situated in said head, so as to provide a straight unobstructed path for the incoming and exhaust gases to and from the.cylinder space, an explosion-compression chamber in said head, having communication with said inlet and outlet valves only by way of the cylinder space, ignition means in said chamber, said ignition means being substantially closer to the exhaust valve than to the inlet valve, there being a throat restricting communication between said chamber and the cylinder space swept by the piston.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said ignition means is a spark plug positioned in said explosion-compression chamber.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, in which a second explosion-compression chamber is formed between the head and the topmost position of the piston and is provided with igniting means.

4. The combination set forth in claiml, in

which a second explosion-compression chamber is formed between the head and the Vtopmost position of the piston and is provided with igniting means which lires simultaneosly with the" igniting means in the explosion-compression chamber in the head.

5. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine,

the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a head closing the open end of said cylinder, inlet and outlet valves vin said head and above the piston, said valves lying-principally to one side of Aa vertical plane passing through the axis of the cylinder, an explosion-compression chamber situated in said head and lying to the other side of said plane, a spark plug in said exaosoas plosion-compression chamber, there being a throat restricting communication between said chamber and the cylinder space swept by the piston and a second compression chamber formed in said head into which said valves open, said chambers separated by a portion of the head closely approached by the piston at its upper limit of travel.

6. The combination set forth in .claim 5, in which said valves are positioned directly above the cylinder space.

7. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, ahead closing the open end of said cylinder, inlet and outlet valves in said head and above the piston, said valves being situated in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the cylinder, an explosion-compression chamber in said head toeach side of said vertical plane, and aV sparkV plug in each explosion-compression chamber, there being a throat restricting communication between each of said chambers and the cylinder space swept by thepiston.

8. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a head closing the open end of said cylinder, an inlet valve and an outlet valve in said head and above the piston, said valves opening downwardly directly into said cylinder space whereby a straight unobstructed path for the incoming and exhaust gases to and from said cylinder space is provided, said head having an explosion-compression chamber formed therein communicating with said valves only by way of thecylinder space, and ignition means in said chamber, there being a throat restricting communication between said chamber and the cylinder space, a second compression chamber being provided above the piston of materially greater volume when the piston is at top dead center than would be provided by mere mechanical clearance said compression chambers having portions thereof positioned upon opposite sides of the piston pin axis whereby to distribute the pressure of the gases therein upon .opposite sides of said axis when the piston is at its upper limit of travel.

9. Structure as set forth in claim 8, ignition means being provided in each of said chambers.

10. Structure as set Iforth in claim 8, said ignition means being positioned at a less distance from said outlet valve than from said inlet valve.

11. 'I'he combination in a/ tour-cycle internal combustion engine of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a cylinder head covering the open end of said cylinder, intake and exhaust valves in said head above said cylinder, said, valves opening downwardly, an explosion-compression chamber being formed in said head overlapping in part the cylinder and communicating with the cylinder space through a restricted throat, and ignition means located in the wall of said chamber remote from said throat, said exhaust valve being located nearer to said ignition means than said lintake valve, the intake valve opening into said cylinder space outside said chamber.

12. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a cylinder head closing the end of said cylinder, inlet and exhaust valvesinsaidhead openv ing inwardly toward said piston, two compression chambers being formed in said head communieating with the cylinder space over said piston, said chambers positioned with the portions communicating with the cylinder space substantially equally disposed on opposite sides of a plane through the cylinder axis and piston pin axis.

13. Structure as set forth in claim 12, including ignition means in each of said chambers.

,14. In a four-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a cylinder head, a compression cham- `ber being formed between said head and piston at 'the upper limit of travel of the piston, a second compression chamber being formed in said head and communicating with the cylinder space through a restricted throat, inlet and exhaust valves in said head opening toward the piston, said inlet valve opening into said rst chamber,

and ignition means in said second 4chamber positioned at a substantially less distance from the exhaust valve than from the inlet valve.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a cylinder head, and inlet and exhaust valves in said head opening toward said piston J. A. H. BARKEIJ. 

